JACKSON, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — As crews continue working to restore public safety and electric service to customers, Consumers Energy is reminding all Michiganders to focus on staying safe following damaging storms.
“Storms with wind gusts of nearly 65 mph like the one that swept through our state yesterday create many hazards,” said Scott McIntosh with Consumers Energy. “We experienced nearly 2,000 downed wires throughout Consumers Energy’s service territory, and this time of year it’s especially important to watch for down lines that could be hidden under leaves on the ground. We urge everyone who is outside to be on the lookout for downed wires and to stay at least 25 feet away from the potentially deadly lines.”
McIntosh urged people to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children and pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
He went onto say that it’s especially important to stay away from anything a downed power line is touching, such as water, vehicles, fences, and anything metal.
Consumers Energy urges the public to also keep these other important safety tips in mind:
- Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past workers on roadsides.
- Call 2-1-1 if you are looking for help connecting to resources that offer assistance in your community. 2-1-1 is a free statewide service.
- Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement, enclosed patio or near any air intakes. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Read more guidance on safe generator use here.
- Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.
- In some cases, the mast that holds the electric service wires to a home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.
More than 135,000 customers were impacted by the wind storm.
Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
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